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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Magic Thursday - The Old Religion and Called by Fire

by Delwyn Jenkins

After many years of wandering in the spiritual wilderness, looking for that illusive something that would help me make sense of the world, I stumbled on an introduction to Wicca course. And I finally found my place.

The Old Religion (as I like to call it) is all about trusting the divine, being the best person you can be, and respecting yourself and others (regardless of whether their views align with yours or not). I love the rituals that mark the changing of the seasons and the observances that are older and gentler than most people would expect.

When we conduct a ritual, we cast a circle – creating a sacred space that is protected from outside energies but is open to the Divine. Once the circle is closed (cast) it is lifted into the World Between, a space that takes us above the normal world and closer to the World Above and the domain of the Divine.

And that where Called By Fire was born. My writer imagination began to wonder what it would be like if the World Between was real. Who would live there? What would it look like? What kind of rules would that society have?

I wanted to be able to use modern language (I once wrote an epic fantasy and the language issues drove me nuts) so my heroines come from the normal world. But being a fantasy girl from way back, the normal world doesn’t do it for me, so I made my heroines Dahnan Witches – women born into their power rather than some ordinary chick with a pointy hat and a broom (like me).

And because I’m a fantasy girl, I decided the World Between would be a place of magic where technology is forbidden and the women have to use magic to get things done.

Working in a group of four (air, earth, fire and water) our heroines can magic everything from air-conditioning and running water to a spell to dry their hair (because I can’t live without luxuries, so they shouldn’t have to either).

Then there’s the boys…

When we cast a circle we call in the Guardians of the Watchtower. So, I wondered what the Watchtower would be like. What is the Watchtower that it must have Guardians? Is it a place or a thing? Are they creatures or people?

And so the Knights of the Watchtower were born. Men who died defending a witch, who went to the Summerlands (heaven) to rest, and – when needed – were called back into service to defend and protect the Dahnan in the World Between.

The Witches in my story live in our world, and the Knight must stay in the World Between. So what happens when a Witch and a Knight fall in love? How do they make that work? What other hurdles would they have to conquer?

To find out the answers you’ll have to read Called By Fire (or bail me up at conference and I’ll let you know how it all pans out – I’m always happy to talk. About anything).

Kamryn Vale is a Dahnan Witch who wants nothing more than to complete her studies in the World Between and return to her normal life. But when a sister-witch is murder and another is kidnapped, Kam becomes aware of dark magic so old and sinister it has drifted into myth. Driven by the need to help the investigation, Kamryn must deal with the complications of working with the mysterious Watchtower Knights.

After two hundred years in exile, the Knights have been invited back to protect the Witches in the Collegium. They can't afford any mistakes, and Alex knows his attraction for the fire Witch has trouble written all over it. With one eye on the investigation, and the other on Kamryn, Alex must balance his obligation to duty with the needs of his heart.

Delwyn Jenkins likes radical career changes. After serving in the Australian Navy for ten years (and being exceptionally disciplined) she switched to full-time university Arts student (where getting out of bed before 11am proved traumatic). She has worked as a teacher, an editor, and now writes full time a career she plans to stick with for as long as anyone wants to read her stories.

Delwyn is also an avid reader and movie-goer, an average bellydancer, and a disinterested cook. She lives on the beautiful south-east coast of Australia where the changeable weather suits her mercurial nature.